1.2: Communication, Teamwork, and Leadership
- Page ID
- 172996
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Communication skills are vitally important in any environment where teamwork is important. Simply put, communication enables us to come together to accomplish things better as a group than we can accomplish as individuals. Communication skills are particularly important for leaders. The ability to communicate a vision and direction, to motivate and inspire others and to persuade our superiors are all essential in bringing people together to achieve a common goal.
The military environment is unique and much of its uniqueness requires extraordinary communication skills. We operate highly technical equipment in a lethal environment and we are held to very high standards by the country we serve. Miscommunication can cause expensive mistakes, embarrass our organization and in some cases cause accidents or even death. This handbook is designed to give you tools and ideas that will help you learn to communicate better \(\ldots\) and to teach others as well.
The call to arms to improve our communication skills is clear. Both the Air Force and the large culture we live in are drowning in a sea of information. Around-the-clock media coverage, universal electronic mail (e-mail) and the overwhelming amount of data on the Internet make it difficult for us to sift out the valuable information we need to accomplish our mission. Now, more than ever, it’s important to communicate with clarity and focus.
The only way to become a better writer and speaker is to work at it-there are no short cuts. The good news is that service in the Air Force will provide plenty of opportunities for you to improve. Your communication skills will become stronger with practice, regardless of your initial ability, and this book is designed to help you on your journey.